Climate
change - it's our future

If left unchecked, climate change (often referred to as global warming),
will have significant impacts on our economy, our environment and our
society. Consultation is a vital part of our quest for practical and
sustainable measures that will enable New Zealand to play its part
in the international effort to slow down and minimise the negative
impacts of climate change.

The New Zealand Government ratified the United Nation’s Kyoto Protocol
in December 2002. This treaty sets in place rigorous actions and mandatory
goals for reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, the main contributor
to climate change, into the earth’s atmosphere. These gases, largely
carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, are released from activities
such as transport, deforestation,
electricity generation, waste and farming.

Asking New Zealanders

A critical part of the process leading up to ratifying the Kyoto Protocol
and developing measures to fulfil our obligations under the Protocol was
the New Zealand Climate Change Project’s consultation with New Zealanders
to ensure the most appropriate and effective policy measures are put in
place. (The NZ Climate Change Project is a team of advisers from several
government departments which was set up to co-ordinate New Zealand’s
response to climate change.)

The Climate Change Project undertook two rounds of consultation on climate
change and climate change policy in 2001 and 2002 involving the general
public as well as specific groups including agriculture, forestry, local
government, large and small-to-medium businesses, youth and formal education,
and Māori.

The first round of consultation took place in October to December
2001. Its purpose was to get feedback on what people thought about the
Government’s
intention to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and what policy options could
be put in place for New Zealand to meet its commitments under the Protocol.
A consultation paper was widely disseminated and New Zealanders were invited
to send in submissions giving feedback on the questions provided in the
paper.

1500 attendees

This was followed by 63 meetings held in 24 centres throughout the country
during November 2001, including public meetings, special interest forums,
sectoral stakeholder meetings, a national carbon forum and Māori
hui. More than 1,500 people attended these meetings including business
people, local government, Māori iwi, environmental groups, farmers
and foresters. They were given presentations on climate change, its impacts,
and the policy options that might be put in place to respond, and had
the opportunity to give feedback or raise concerns. In total, 557 submissions
were received from stakeholders, sectoral groups and the public.

School consultation

New Zealand children were also involved in the consultation process.
Consultation kits, developed for students and their families, were sent
to every school in the country and 626 submissions were received from
individuals and school groups. Each child who made a submission received
a special certificate of merit from the Convenor of the Ministerial Group
on Climate Change, Pete Hodgson, to acknowledge their contribution.

Survey

In addition, the Climate Change Project thought it was important to find
out the views of New Zealanders who did not participate in the climate
change consultation process and undertook a nationwide telephone survey
involving the general public.

Feedback from the first round of consultation was used in the development
of a National Interest Analysis (NIA) which was tabled in Parliament in
February 2002. The NIA is a requirement for any international treaty that
the New Zealand government enters into, covering the reasons New Zealand
should become party to the treaty and the effects of the treaty entering
into force (the NIA also outlined the key principles that guided the development
of the Government’s preferred policies – input received during
the consultation was fundamental to the design of these principles).

Second consultation

The second round of consultation in May 2002, sought input from New Zealanders
on the preferred policy package (developed using feedback on policy options
in the first round of consultation) for meeting New Zealand’s obligations
under the Kyoto Protocol. A consultation document on the proposed policies
was distributed at the end of April asking people if the Government had
the right approach and if the policies were balanced and fair. This was
supported by 49 meetings and hui around the country with local government
representatives, businesses, special interest groups and Māori,
giving these groups an opportunity to look closely at what the impacts
of the policy mix might be.

Feedback from the second round of consultation was used in the process
that led to the Government confirming its policies on climate change.
Following confirmation of this policy package and enactment of the Climate
Change Response Bill 2002, the New Zealand Government ratified the Kyoto
Protocol on 19 December 2002, joining 104 other countries to do so.

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol is a United Nations-led international
agreement on climate change.

It aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industrialised nations
during 2008-2012 (the Protocol’s first commitment period) to five
percent below what they were in 1990. This is only the first step. Further
cuts, probably also involving more countries, will be necessary in the
future to substantially reduce the risks of climate change.

The Protocol has to be signed and ratified by 55 countries (including
those responsible for at least 55% of the developed world’s 1990
carbon dioxide emissions) before it can enter into force. Only countries
that ratify the Protocol are bound by it.

The first condition has already been met – Norway was the 55th country
to ratify in May 2002. New Zealand ratified in December 2002 and Russia
is expected to ratify this year.

The Kyoto Protocol would commit New Zealand to reducing its greenhouse
gas emissions to the level they were in 1990 over the first commitment
period (2008-2012) or to take responsibility for any emissions above this
level.

Our latest greenhouse gas inventory shows that New Zealand’s emissions
are increasing, with carbon dioxide emissions in 2000 about 23% higher
than they were in 1990.

Transport sector emissions are continuing to grow rapidly and now account
for almost 45% of New Zealand’s total CO2 emissions. If we do nothing
to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, our total emissions could be 14-20%
over our target by 2012. New Zealand’s total greenhouse gas emissions
are currently about 5% above 1990 levels.

Ten simple ways you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions:

turn off the lights, computer, radio and television when not in use

close doors, windows and curtains to keep in the heat

block draughts around windows and doors

hang your clothes out to dry
instead of using the dryer

replace standard light bulbs with energy
efficient fluorescent bulbs

reduce, reuse and recycle
compost your food scraps

check the energy rating label (number
of stars) on appliances at home and school